Score: #1 Plattsburgh State 7 - #2 Elmira College 1
Records: Plattsburgh (20-0-0, 13-0-0 ECACW), Elmira (15-3-1, 10-2-0 ECACW)
Location: Murray Athletic Center Ice Arena – Pine Valley, NY
 
Pine Valley, NY -- The Elmira College women's ice hockey team got right back to action on Sunday afternoon, as the Soaring Eagles concluded their two-game set with top-ranked Plattsburgh State at the Murray Athletic Center Ice Arena. Unfortunately, the Purple and Gold were unable to carry over the momentum from a strong third period yesterday, as the Cardinals pulled away for a 7-1 win to sweep the regular season series.
 
Similar to yesterday, the visitors did not wait long to get on the scoreboard, as Melissa Sheeran continued to torment the Elmira defense. Picking up a loose puck at her own blue-line, Kayla Meneghin and Sheeran moved up in a two-on-one with just Elmira defender Rachel Grampp '18 back. Meneghin moved down the right-wing before sending a perfect saucer pass to the blade of Sheeran who fired the puck over the shoulder of EC goaltender Kyle Nelson '17 to give Plattsburgh a 1-0 lead at 10:58 of the first.
 
Despite the early deficit, Elmira looked much more confident than it did during the shaky start yesterday. That confidence would shine through towards the end of the period, as the Soaring Eagles tied the game just ahead of the horn for intermission.
 
With Plattsburgh's Meneghin in the box for slashing at 16:43, EC put its power-play unit out on the ice for the first time in the contest. After a fairly uneventful first minute on the advantage, EC cashed in to equalize the game. Olivia Nystrom '16 made an excellent play to keep the puck in at the center point, touching it to Phoebe Piku '16 at the right point. She walked the line and fired a slap shot through traffic in front of the Cardinal crease. Katie Granato '19 made a deft play with the stick to redirect the shot, which was drifting wide of the cage, deflecting it through the five-hole of Plattsburgh netminder Camille Leonard to make it 1-1. The score remained unchanged heading into the first intermission.
 
The Cardinals used their excellent special teams units to take control of the game in the second. Sheeran netted her second goal of the game, as Plattsburgh worked on a power play at 6:50. The visitors later tallied a shorthanded goal late in the period, as Courtney Moriarty capitalized on a turnover to score her first of three on the afternoon.
 
Plattsburgh pulled away with four goals in the final period. Moriarty added a pair of power-play goals, while Jordan Lipson and Melissa Ames also added tallies for the Cardinals.
 
Turning Point
Initially it looked as though Elmira was going to win the key special teams battle, as the home side killed off the first penalty of the afternoon, while also capitalizing with Granato's goal on its first opportunity with the man-advantage. However, Plattsburgh dominated the battle of special teams during the final 40 minutes, converting on four of its final five power-play opportunities, while also adding a shorthanded goal.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Plattsburgh outshot Elmira 37-to-23 in the contest.
• Maddy Jerolman '19 led all Elmira players with four shots on goal.
• The Soaring Eagles dominated the faceoff circle in the game, winning 40-of-62 draws on the day.
• Johanna Eidensten '16, Louisa Lippiatt Durnell '18, Ari Smith '18 and Katie Granato '19 all finished with positive winning ratios.
• Plattsburgh finished 4-for-6 on the power play, while Elmira went 1-for-4 with the advantage.
• Granato netted the lone goal for Elmira.
• Nystrom and Piku added assists on the day.
• Nelson finished with 28 saves and five goals allowed in 48:40 of action.
• Kelcey Crawford '18 relieved Nelson for the final 11:20, stopping two shots and allowing two goals.

 
News and Notes

• With the loss, Plattsburgh sweeps the two-game regular season series, gaining a firm leg up in the race to host the ECAC West Tournament.
• Elmira has now dropped four straight in the series against Plattsburgh.
• The seven goals allowed were a season-high for the Soaring Eagles. It is the most goals Elmira has allowed in a single-game in program history.
• Today marked only the second time this season in which Elmira has been held to one goal.
• Elmira extended its streak of not being shut out to 22 consecutive games.
• With the goal, Granato finished with a point in each game over the weekend. She ties fellow EC rookies Maddy Jerolman '19, Maddie Evangelous '19 and Kristin Chivers '19 with five goals on the season.
• With her 11^th assist on the year, Piku moves within one helper of tying her previous single-season high of 12, which she set last season.

 
Up Next
Elmira continues ECAC West action next weekend with a home-and-home series against Buffalo State on Friday, February 5^th, and Saturday, February 6^th. The Soaring Eagles head to Buffalo, NY, to take on the Bengals in the first game of the weekend at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, while they host the Bengals at the MAC Ice Arena at 3:00 p.m. the following afternoon as part of Athletics Alumni Weekend.